Physical Geography

Landforms
Cape
A piece of land
jutting into the
sea or some
other large
body of water.
It is usually
much smaller
and stubbier
than a
peninsula.

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=cape&num=10&hl=en&biw=1024&bih=533&tbm=isch&tbnid=Hu-
v_sSgv67LHM:&imgrefurl=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Cod&docid=kE4_gx7ocdHB9M&imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commo
ns/thumb/b/bc/Cape_Cod_Landsat_7.jpg/220px-Cape_Cod_Landsat_7.jpg&w=220&h=195&ei=RjZsULikMYeh2QW-
qoGgCw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=62&sig=107800881789263530887&page=1&tbnh=131&tbnw=148&start=0&ndsp=10&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0,i:142&tx
=45&ty=58
Peninsula
A large narrow strip
of land projecting
into a sea or lake
from the mainland.
The land forms an
isthmus at the point
where it connects
from the mainland
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=baja+california&hl=en&biw=1024&bih=533&tbm=isch&tbnid=QdGb0M6mhx2SuM:&imgrefurl=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B
aja_California_peninsula&docid=UabRoaN8DyYtXM&imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/Baja_peninsula_(mexico)_250m.jpg/
237px-
Baja_peninsula_(mexico)_250m.jpg&w=237&h=316&ei=FjdsUNCfMoHm2AX4wYD4Bw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=78&sig=107800881789263530887&page=1&
tbnh=145&tbnw=124&start=0&ndsp=10&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:136&tx=77&ty=89
Coastline/Shoreline
The outline or contour of where a large body of water
meets the land; defines the outer boundaries of
continents, islands, capes, isthmuses, and peninsulas

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=coastline&hl=en&biw=10
24&bih=533&tbm=isch&tbnid=rwWUrUhTx0u1sM:&imgref
url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Niue_Coastline.jpg&do
cid=UqacQzKSAK_92M&imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.or
g/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Niue_Coastline.jpg&w=1024&h
=768&ei=3zdsUNPvB8Ls2gWc5oFo&zoom=1&iact=hc&vp
x=390&vpy=189&dur=62&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=120&t
y=119&sig=107800881789263530887&page=1&tbnh=145
&tbnw=174&start=0&ndsp=9&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0,i:155
Isthmus
A narrow strip of land, bordered on both
sides by water, connecting two larger
bodies of land.

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=isthmus&num
=10&hl=en&biw=1440&bih=665&tbm=isch&tbni
d=EOOQbBm8e0LjcM:&imgrefurl=http://www.ja
miemiles.com/blog/musing-on-what-is-church-
for/&docid=tDv7vPN8Y63eVM&imgurl=http://far
m1.static.flickr.com/167/420400353_99fd962ac
c.jpg&w=500&h=335&ei=y1NsUOuYLeni2QW9
5YH4Aw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=767&vpy=339
&dur=3173&hovh=184&hovw=274&tx=98&ty=1
07&sig=107800881789263530887&page=1&tb
nh=131&tbnw=186&start=0&ndsp=19&ved=1t:4
29,r:10,s:0,i:157
Island
A portion of land completely surrounded by
water, and not large enough to be called a
continent.

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=island&hl=en&biw=1440
&bih=665&tbm=isch&tbnid=FqaRtf2zYN0bfM:&imgrefurl=h
ttp://stoneglasgow.blogspot.com/2011/04/island.html&doci
d=M3oR-Lxgdu_pDM&imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-
VroZTp4OxKE/TbZrUr0NjqI/AAAAAAAAAM8/jGv_L8HFs6
Q/s1600/117332-
stranded_island_following_5_actresses_item.jpg&w=1023
&h=721&ei=RVVsUKDjA4Ge2AWWl4H4Cg&zoom=1&iact
=rc&dur=94&sig=107800881789263530887&page=1&tbnh
=141&tbnw=175&start=0&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:1
49&tx=35&ty=40
Archipelago
A cluster of islands or an island chain
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=is+japan+an+archipelago&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1440&bih=665&tbm=isch&tbnid=NRQWFvMXVbuErM:&imgrefurl=http://www.regentsprep.org/regents/global/themes/geography/bow.cfm&docid=cKP8CteLe-
AhwM&imgurl=http://www.regentsprep.org/regents/global/themes/geography/images/japan.gif&w=435&h=279&ei=-
FVsUIvUH4S82wWJjYGgDQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1000&vpy=161&dur=889&hovh=180&hovw=280&tx=131&ty=136&sig=107800881789263530887&page=1&tbnh=128&tbnw=200&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0,i:88
Glacier
A mass of ice
formed from
snow falling
and
accumulating
over the years
and moving
very slowly

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=glacier&um=1&hl=en&biw=14
40&bih=665&tbm=isch&tbnid=xFnGLdYx1LcB8M:&imgrefurl=htt
p://www.usgs.gov/features/glaciers2.html&docid=P9Y17SIay4fip
M&imgurl=http://www.usgs.gov/images/topical/glaciers/dsc0003
5.jpg&w=1280&h=960&ei=WVpsUMWcN4bs2AWl6oHgBw&zoo
m=1&iact=hc&vpx=327&vpy=175&dur=6349&hovh=194&hovw=
259&tx=192&ty=150&sig=107800881789263530887&page=2&t
bnh=145&tbnw=203&start=20&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:20,i:2
19
Mesa
A land formation that has steep sides and a
relatively flat top. It is smaller than a
plateau.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=mesa&hl=en&biw=1440&bi
h=665&tbm=isch&tbnid=8PR3oTeunO8tFM:&imgrefurl=http://
pinker.wjh.harvard.edu/photos/american_west/pages/mesa.ht
m&docid=dk7wPp781g3PgM&imgurl=http://pinker.wjh.harvar
d.edu/photos/american_west/images/mesa.jpg&w=675&h=45
0&ei=U15sUMbxHIeq2QW6moGQCA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx
=962&vpy=334&dur=1997&hovh=183&hovw=275&tx=208&ty
=85&sig=107800881789263530887&page=1&tbnh=135&tbn
w=193&start=0&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:10,s:0,i:167
Plateau
A land area having a relatively level surface
considerably raised above adjoining land

Mountain range
A series of mostly connected mountains
arranged in a line
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=mountain+range&start=91&um=1&hl=en&rlz=1R2AURU_enUS502&biw=1440&bih=665&
addh=36&tbm=isch&tbnid=04a1amMpuLm8fM:&imgrefurl=http://www.fun-costa-rica-vacations.com/costa-rica-detailed-
map.html&docid=g0MCEVnv5xY-qM&imgurl=http://www.fun-costa-rica-vacations.com/images/mountain-ranges-in-costa-
rica.jpg&w=1024&h=768&ei=kl9sUIrpE4-
_2QWYuoCgBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=973&vpy=283&dur=2278&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=146&ty=104&sig=107800881
789263530887&page=5&tbnh=140&tbnw=186&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:10,s:91,i:37
http://www.flickr.com/photos/costa-rica-beauty/4751184585/
Oasis
A small fertile or green area in a desert region, usually
having a spring or well.

http://artsytime.com/egypt/
Plain
An area of land not significantly higher than
adjacent areas and with relatively minor
differences in elevation
Valley
An extensive, more or less flat, and
relatively low region drained by a great
river system

Canyon
A canyon is a deep valley with very steep sides
usually formed by water erosion from a river over
millions of years.
Cliff
A cliff is a
very steep
face of rock
and soil
Volcano
A vent in the earth's crust through
which lava, steam, ashes, etc., are
expelled

Atoll
An atoll is ring shaped (or partial ring shaped) island
formed by coral. The coral forms around the top of a
submerged volcano. There is always a volcano
under an atoll.